Throughout life, sound positively and negatively affects our physical and emotional well-being. It affects the bodily functions that we think are beyond our control. These include heart rate, blood pressure and release of the body’s natural painkilling chemicals.

Even when people are no longer conscious or speaking, we can console and comfort them with music. Research has shown that music is the first outside sensation that registers with a developing fetus and the last that registers with a dying patient.

The use of music enhances our lives as a means of teaching, celebrating and expressing ourselves and has been in place for thousands of years. During World War II, music was used to calm shell-shocked soldiers. Since then, the introduction of music in a variety of rehabilitation and palliative care settings has steadily increased.

The American Music Therapy Association defines music therapy as "...an established healthcare profession that uses music to address physical, emotional, cognitive and social needs of individuals of all ages."